Multi-link rear wheel axle for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Multi-link rear wheel axle for a vehicle connects a wheel support (4) to a vehicle body (5) with link arms in upper and lower link planes (8, 6). The upper link plane (8) has a link arm (18) configured as a track rod and front and rear transverse link arms (14, 18) with articulation points (13, 15) for the wheel support (4) and the vehicle body (5). A longitudinal link arm (16) connects the rear transverse link (14) via an articulation point (22) near the wheel support (4) to the front transverse link (18) via an articulation point (24) near the vehicle body. Front and rear transverse link arms (10, 12) in the lower link plane (6) have articulation points (13, 15) for the wheel support (4) and the vehicle body (5) and form a virtual pole (20) outside the lower link plane (6) and behind the axle.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to German Patent Appl. No. 10 2011 055 572.2 filed on Nov. 22, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The invention relates to a multi-link rear wheel axle for a motor vehicle for connecting a wheel support to a vehicle body with link arms that are arranged in an upper link plane and in a lower link plane, one link arm in the upper link plane is configured as a track rod.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Multi-link rear wheel axles are sufficiently well known and have link arms arranged in a lower link plane and in an upper link plane to absorb as far as possible five of the six degrees of freedom of a body in space. Merely one degree of freedom remains for the compression and rebound of the vehicle wheel. A construction of this type should of course be accompanied by the maximum pos...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]This object is achieved by the fact that, in the upper link plane, two link arms are configured as rear and front transverse link, as viewed in the direction of driving, which in each case have articulation points for the wheel support and the vehicle body. The front transverse link is configured as a track rod. A link arm, which is configured as a longitudinal link, connects the rear transverse link via an articulation point in the vicinity of the wheel support to the front transverse link via an articulation point arranged in the vicinity of the vehicle body. Two link arms in the lower link plane are configured as rear and front transverse link, as viewed in the direction of driving, and in each case have articulation points for the wheel support and the vehicle body so that the rear and the front transverse link in the lower link plane form a virtual pole that lies in the lower link plane outside the latter and behind the axle of the wheel support. In this way, an articulation point is saved in each case on the wheel support and on the vehicle body. The multi-link rear wheel axle nevertheless has the comfort of a five-link rear wheel axle. Additionally, the wheel moves in the toe-in during braking and in the case of a lateral force.

[0008]The track rod can be configured as an active track rod to adapt the track adjustment in certain driving situations, and accordingly to ensure the greatest comfort and the greatest driving safety in every driving situation. The articulation point of the longitudinal link advantageously can be mounted in the rear transverse link in an adjustable bush. Thus, a longitudinal elasticity of the multi-link rear wheel axle can be set via the bush. Furthermore, an adjustable bush advantageously is provided in the front transverse link of the upper link plane and a lateral-force rigidity of the multi-link rear wheel axle can be set via the adjustable bush. Both bushes can be arranged and set in such a way that no more relative movements have to be carried out in the case of suspension movements. The wheel likewise moves under lateral force in the curve into toe-in as a result of the optimally set lateral-force rigidity and therefore the driving behavior is stabilized. The articulation point of the longitudinal link for the front transverse link advantageously is configured as an eccentric, via which the toe-in can be set by a tool.

Problems solved by technology

This type of multi-link rear wheel axle affords very high comfort and very great variability with regard to the adjustability of the wheel support, but requires a much greater amount of installation space and a greater amount of installation work than multi-link rear wheel axles that use triangular link arms, for example.

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